Monk and Druid thoughts?

[Hi.standard]

I have seen very actual feedback for both of these. Is anyone using either as their Player character? How does monk compare to other martial classes, is it fun to use?

How is the druid? I cant find so little information online about people using either of these classes, but i am interested in these two the most.

[[TG] zac]

Originally posted by Snobby Hobo:

Originally posted by TG zac:

Sadly even with the improvements larian has made monk seems a bit too dependent on multiple ability scores.

I really wish Wizards would take a que from Pathfinder 2e monks and implement something similar to their stance mechanic as depending what stance you use in that game it either negates the need to have one of the stats or adds awesome passives on (heck their monk doesn't even need wisdom unless they want to do use ki to mimic other classes spells, even dropping it entirely it does excellent just beating stuff to death and being a grappling monster)

How so? They seem fairly "average" with their needs; cha, str and int dump. Dex main, Wis second, Con whatever you have left.

You will need a ton of dex, wisom and con.
That is called being multi ability score dependent and takes away the ability to build a strength based character entirely.

Pathfinder 2e with its stance mechanic means I could dump dex entirely and be a strength based monk by simply grabbing mountain stance which gives a passive bump to AC (but negates dex to AC) and a boost to grapple checks (just one of more then a dozen stance options, each offering a passive of some sort in either damage, ac, ability checks etc..)

If wizards would make a similar mechanic you could see all kinds of monk builds using stuff other then just dex & wisom.

Their free archetype rule or simply spending a class feat to grab something from another class also lets you pick up some stuff from other classes on occasion.

Heck one of the most fun characters I ever had was a monk that dropped dex and wisdom entirely for strength and charisma then grabbed the sorcerer archetype so I could get dragon claws (a few spells) and eventually wings & a breath attack.

In 5e I would never be able to get that kind of stat spread and would be stuck with having to go the dex, wisdom and con route.

[Xenomorph Kitty]

Can't comment on either to be honest. I played Druid in EA. And I'm not using any of the Druid companions either to comment.

Not tried monk, i want to, just in another playthrough. However, one thing I will say. Without too many spoilers. I've seen lots of awesome monk related gear in Act 3

[Saica-Fox]

druids is very very strong the fact ur animal forms have their own hp means when they break u still have all ur hp and if ur moon druid well ur forms are insane and u get powerufl magic too and summons

[Vash The Stampede]

Monk has been treating me pretty well. You do not have to go fully unarmed as a monk. What has worked best for me is using a staff. Its a monk weapon so it uses dex, is a versatile weapon so you can 2hand it for 1d8 base dmg and there are some good staff options for use. Theres one that does fire damage and one that does frost that I have found so far. Its good at traversing the field quickly and getting to distant enemies with just the base kit.

[VoiD]

Druid is like a cleric, but it's useful, and it will nuke the ♥♥♥♥ out of you if you don't pay attention.

[Shale]

A fun option if you don't mind the drop in AC is to focus on str over dex.
Only really viable once you hit level 4 and pick up Tavern Brawler. They've changed it to just double your str for improvised and unarmed attack rolls and damage, making your unarmed strikes that much more accurate and powerful, but given that monks are already so MAD something will have to be sacrificed. Fortunately there are enough clothing items that boost AC or Dex that it won't be a major issue for too long.

[maniacal<1>]

I will swear upon Tyr to the effectiveness of Monks. My Monk is an unstoppable monster with the right stats. Good AC with evasion, immunity to poison, disease and mind control, you can go stealth, melee or ranged elemental depending on the subclass you choose, the ability to pluck arrows out of the air and throw them BACK at the enemy. It's just so good.

[Finixfire]

I dual weild with enchanted hammers as a lvl 6 monk in addition to my unarmed strikes. The stunning strike helps a lot with landing hard hits.

I'm tempted to get druid to open up my spell and range options. But so far, the way of the elements plus the addition of spell rings broaden my build a lot.

[Ekelak]

I happened to use them together. The Druid is really good as a support to the Monk. It can give it many benefits. I played a Dexterity Monk-Thief and a Druid Circle of the Land

[Cerebrum123]

Circle of Spores is extremely lackluster at higher levels. I realize that it shouldn't be outclassing a Necromancer but it shouldn't be completely pathetic compared to it. Glut the Sovereign teases us with actually interesting fungal reanimation that is powerful by bringing the creatures back as they actually existed but Spore Druid just gets 9 HP zombies that are pretty weak.

[Husker_85]

Starting Barbarian and then going Monk -> Open Palm with Tavern Brawler is a very specific build, but it's also one of the strongest in the game. If you go Barb 1, Monk 6, then back to Barb to get it up to 3, and then back to Monk you stay strong all the way through the game and do silly amounts of damage with your unarmed and thrown attacks.

[Underprivileged White Male]

Originally posted by Hi.standard:

I have seen very actual feedback for both of these. Is anyone using either as their Player character? How does monk compare to other martial classes, is it fun to use?

How is the druid? I cant find so little information online about people using either of these classes, but i am interested in these two the most.

Originally posted by Ekelak:

I happened to use them together. The Druid is really good as a support to the Monk. It can give it many benefits. I played a Dexterity Monk-Thief and a Druid Circle of the Land

Druid spells are terrible in BG3, don't even bother. Really only useful as something to do between wildshapes, and healing after fights. Druids in general are pretty awful. They are weak early, strong in the mid game, and fall off horribly late game.

[Ekelak]

Originally posted by Underprivileged White Male:

Druid spells are terrible in BG3, don't even bother.

Played Support = Dont need high damage
These are all good, if you know how to play.
Dont need Druid's Hand, but brain.

+Hellrider's Pride Gloves
-Guidance
-Spike Growth
-Faerie fire
-Healing word
-Darkness
-Entangle
-Fog Cloud
-Heat Metal
-Conjure Dryad
-Ice Storm

[Non-binary Tiddies]

One of my favorite builds is actually a tavern brawler open hand monk that dips into spore druid for extra hit points and necrotic damage.

[Underprivileged White Male]

Originally posted by Ekelak:

Originally posted by Underprivileged White Male:

Druid spells are terrible in BG3, don't even bother.

Played Support = Dont need high damage
These are all good, if you know how to play.
Dont need Druid's Hand, but brain.

+Hellrider's Pride Gloves
-Guidance
-Spike Growth
-Faerie fire
-Healing word
-Darkness
-Entangle
-Fog Cloud
-Heat Metal
-Conjure Dryad
-Ice Storm

Or just swing with a hasted GWM fighter/zerker and do 200+ damage a round without spell slot usage. Not to mention how many counterspells you run into later. Druid just ends up wishing it had haste, and trying to melee with wildshape. Icestorm often does more harm than good. Heat metal ain't sticking on nothing on Tactician, summon dryad makes you constantly go to camp and return to warp it to you because it can't jump, nothing that darkness/fog cloud/spike growth add that doing a crap ton of damage doesn't do better.

The best CC in BG3 is Wall of stone anyway... or just killing things faster.

This coming from a guy doing a druid playthrough... there is nothing I add that anoter martial wouldn't add more. The zerker barb in the group does 90% of the work itself.

Hell Paladins are honestly better as a support class. Better on demand healing. + the best healing spell in the game. Same with Bard. Nothing really compares to Warden of Vitality.